May 13, 2000

COLUMBUS, OH - The Wake Forest women's golf team advanced to the 2000 NCAA Championships in Sunriver, OR May 24-27 by shooting a three-round 907 at the NCAA East Regional at Ohio State University today. The Deacons finished in a tie with Auburn for seventh place.

Junior Marta Prieto, who will be making her first NCAA Championship appearance, led the Deacs with a three-round 222. Prieto tied for 11th after shooting a one-over 73 in the final round. Freshman Maria Beautell broke par, carding a one-under 71 to finish in a tie for 13th with a 223. Katie Brenny, a sophomore who tied an 18-hole low in yesterday's round, placed in a tie for 21st. Brenny shot a 226 through 54 holes. Freshman Nuria Clau, who was named team MVP along with Beautell, finished in a tie for 86th with a 238. Senior Kelly Kirwin, the only current member of the Wake squad to compete in the NCAA Championships, shot a 240 to place her in a tie for 94th.

Duke University captured the team title in the regionals, while Ohio State's Lisa Strom and Kari Damron of Purdue shared individual medalist honors. Duke was the only team to break 900, with an 897. Strom and Damron each broke par once and finished with a 216.

Wake's seventh-place finish marks the first berth to the NCAA's for the Deacon women's golf squad since the 1996-97 season. The Deacons were one of 11 teams and three individuals from the East Region to qualify for the event. 13 teams and three individuals from the West Regional will also compete in the Championships. The three-round championship, at the Crosswater Course of the Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, OR, begins May 24.